A face from his past
by moonstonemystyk
Summary: OOtP Spoilers. Belle Masters was sent into hiding during the first rise of Voldemort, but now she has come back to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. She has a secret, and the surprise is on Severus.
1. Chapter 1

A face from his past  
  
Chapter 1  
  
September first dawned cloudy and gray. Albus  
  
Dumbledore pushed himself away from his desk and  
  
straightened his robes. It wouldn't do for him to be  
  
late greeting his new Defense Against the Dark Arts  
  
teacher. As he walked through the deserted halls of  
  
Hogwarts, he thought back to the last time he had seen  
  
the newest member of his staff. It had been almost 15  
  
years, and he wondered how she and her son had  
  
changed. As he entered the Great Hall he looked toward  
  
the staff table, searching for the potions master,  
  
Severus Snape. He walked over to the table, looking  
  
around to see if anyone else would hear him and said,  
  
"I would like a word with you Severus. It is very  
  
important." He turned toward the door at the end of  
  
the staff table. He entered the room and sat down in  
  
one of the squashy arm chairs that was sitting in  
  
front of the fire.  
  
A few minutes later he was joined by Snape.  
  
"What can I do for you, Albus?" he asked, sitting down  
  
in the chair opposite of the headmaster.  
  
Professor Dumbledore reached into his robes and pulled  
  
out a small tin, "Sherbet Lemon Severus?" he asked.  
  
"No thank you Albus." He answered. "I have something  
  
to tell you, Severus. I have put it off too long." He  
  
told the potions master, extracting a piece of candy  
  
and popping it in his mouth. "I have hired a new  
  
Defense teacher, and I am afraid that it might be a  
  
little uncomfortable for you."  
  
Snape looked up at the headmaster, "What do you mean,  
  
uncomfortable Albus?" he asked.  
  
"I have hired Belle Masters to take over the Defense  
  
position." Albus told him.  
  
The color drained from the potion master's face,  
  
"Belle is going to be teaching here?" he asked.  
  
The headmaster nodded his head, "And she has asked  
  
that you be the one to meet her in Hogsmeade. She says  
  
that she would like to speak to you before the  
  
students arrive. It seems that she has something to  
  
tell you, something that I had asked her not to tell  
  
you until now." He looked over at Severus, "And for  
  
that, I will apologize in advance. But at that time,  
  
it seemed to be the best thing for all parties  
  
concerned. I do hope that you will accept my apology  
  
and forgive an old man for trying to protect all three  
  
people concerned."  
  
Snape stared at the headmaster, wondering just what  
  
he could have done, that would require him to  
  
apologize. "You can be sure that you have my  
  
forgiveness, Albus." He said, rising from the chair  
  
and heading for the door.  
  
"Save that until you know what I have done Severus."  
  
He waited in front of the Three Broomsticks for her to  
  
appear. He was wondering what Albus could have done  
  
that would require him to apologize. Suddenly she  
  
apparated in front of him, "Severus, it has been a  
  
long time. I have truly missed you." She said,  
  
throwing her arms around his neck, and kissing his  
  
cheek.  
  
"Why would you want me to meet you, Belle?" he asked,  
  
stepping back from her.  
  
"We have a few things to talk about, Severus. The  
  
first is why I disappeared from your life, and then I  
  
have something to tell you that will change your  
  
life." She told him, taking his hand and leading him  
  
into the Three Broomsticks.  
  
"So Albus sent you into hiding?" he asked, taking a  
  
sip of his drink.  
  
"Well, he wasn't just protecting me, he was protecting  
  
our son. I was pregnant and he knew that you would  
  
never forgive yourself if anything had happened to  
  
him." She told him, reaching across to grasp his hand.  
  
"I have a son?" he asked, looking pale.  
  
"Yes Severus my love, and he will be sorted with the  
  
first years tonight at the sorting feast. He's  
  
starting his sixth year." She told him, "I am truly  
  
sorry that you have missed so much of his life. But he  
  
knows who you are, and he is looking forward to  
  
meeting you after the feast tonight."  
  
He lifted his head, and looked at her. "Belle, I don't  
  
know what to say. Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he  
  
asked, "why didn't you come back to me long ago?"  
  
She reached up and ran her fingers over his cheek. "I  
  
was afraid that you wouldn't want me back, after all,  
  
I left you to go into hiding. I thought more about  
  
protecting our unborn child than staying with my  
  
husband." She looked down at the table, "I'm sorry  
  
Severus. I should have never left you."  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
He had been roaming around on the Hogwarts express  
  
since it had left platform 9 ¾. Stephen Snape knew  
  
that things were going to be very different here. He  
  
had spent the first 16 years of his life in the United  
  
States, had finished his first five years of school at  
  
The Blue Ridge Academy, the finest school of  
  
witchcraft and wizardry in North America. But now he  
  
was on the Hogwarts express, headed for his first year  
  
at the school that his parents had attended. He was  
  
searching for an empty compartment, but found none. He  
  
was opening the door of the final compartment when a  
  
blonde boy approached him.  
  
"I'm Draco Malfoy. I'm sure that it's just because  
  
you're new that you're going into that compartment.  
  
There are mudblood lovers and a mudblood in there. I'm  
  
sure that you would be much happier sitting with us  
  
pureblood wizards." He said all this, extending his  
  
hand to the tall boy.  
  
Stephen looked at the blonde boy, and sneered,  
  
looking very much like his father. "I'm afraid that  
  
you have made a large mistake. I personally don't  
  
discriminate against anyone, pure blood or not." He  
  
said, taking a step toward him as the door to the  
  
compartment opened.  
  
"I would suggest that you watch what you say, Mr.  
  
Malfoy. I don't control my temper very well when I am  
  
provoked." Four people emerged from the compartment,  
  
"Some of my best friends are muggle born, so you had  
  
better keep your opinion to yourself." He turned  
  
around and saw the four occupants of the compartment  
  
standing behind him with their wands out.  
  
"Why don't you go back with your goons, Malfoy."  
  
Hermione told him, she turned toward the tall dark  
  
haired boy in front of her. "I'm Hermione Granger,  
  
this is Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, and Harry Potter.  
  
Would you like to come into the compartment and sit  
  
down?" she asked, pointing to each of her friends as  
  
she introduced them. Malfoy turned and walked toward  
  
the next car.  
  
Stephen smiled, and entered the compartment with them.  
  
He sat down next to Harry and extended his hand to  
  
each of them, "I'm Stephen Snape, I'm a transfer  
  
student from The Blue Ridge Academy."  
  
All four of them stared at the dark haired boy seated  
  
with them. "Are you related to the Potions Teacher at  
  
Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.  
  
Steven looked at each of them, "Why do I have the  
  
feeling that if I say yes, you are going to dislike me  
  
just for that?" he asked, looking to each of them.  
  
"Well," Harry started, "We're not exactly his favorite  
  
students." He told him, searching for a way to explain  
  
it without offending their new school mate.  
  
"We won't hold it against you if you are related."  
  
Ginny assured him, "he just doesn't like us too much."  
  
He glanced around at the four people seated around  
  
him, "I guess that I should get it over with,  
  
Professor Snape is my father." He told them. He looked  
  
around again, at the shocked expressions on all of  
  
their faces. "I've never met him, Headmaster  
  
Dumbledore sent my mother into hiding before I was  
  
born. She raised me herself, in the U.S."  
  
They sat together talking until the train pulled into  
  
the station. Stephen went to ride over with the first  
  
years, while Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny headed for  
  
the carriages that would take them to the school. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A surprising sorting  
  
As the first years entered the Great Hall, all heads  
  
turned toward the tall dark haired boy that came in  
  
with them. The students immediately started asking  
  
each other what they knew about him. All eyes in the  
  
room seemed to be on him, but Stephen Snape didn't  
  
notice, his eyes were drawn to the man sitting next to  
  
his mother. Professor Snape was watching the boy  
  
closely, wondering what house the sorting hat would  
  
place him in. He was the head of house for Slytherin,  
  
but the boy's mother had once been a Ravenclaw. He  
  
could only wait and see.   
  
Stephen's clear blue eyes scanned the room as he  
  
searched the tables for the friends that he had made  
  
on the train. He found the four of them sitting  
  
together at the Gryffindor table, he raised his hand  
  
and gave them a small wave, as he waited for his turn.  
  
Professor McGonagall looked down at her parchment,  
  
"Stephen Snape" she called.  
  
He turned toward the front, walked up and sat down on  
  
the stool. She placed the Sorting hat on his head.  
  
"Hmmm, where to place you, you're smart, no doubt. But  
  
should I put you in Ravenclaw?" the hat spoke into his  
  
head. Stephen whispered, "I don't think that I'm a  
  
Ravenclaw, not quite smart enough, but I don't want to  
  
be put with that Malfoy git." The sorting hat laughed,  
  
"so not in Slytherin , then it better be.."  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!!!!" he shouted. The Gryffindor table  
  
broke into cheers. Stephen removed the hat and stood  
  
up. He glanced at his parents, sitting at the staff  
  
table, looks of shock on their faces, and headed  
  
toward his new friends. When he got to the table, he  
  
saw looks of shock on their faces. "What's wrong?" he  
  
asked, as he sat down next to Ron.  
  
Hermione was the first to speak, "We're just  
  
surprised, your father is head of Slytherin house."  
  
She told him.  
  
"Well, I asked the hat not to place me with that  
  
Malfoy git, and it said 'so not in Slytherin'. Mom was  
  
a Ravenclaw, but I don't want to spend all of my time  
  
with my nose stuck in a book." He told them laughing.  
  
"Mum and Dad both looked pretty shocked that I ended  
  
up in Gryffindor."   
  
"Your mum is here too?" Ron asked.  
  
Stephen looked back up at the staff table. "Yeah,  
  
she's the one sitting next to my dad, she's teaching  
  
Defense Against the Dark Arts." He told them, As  
  
Professor McGonagall took the hat and stool and  
  
carried them out of the hall.  
  
Professor Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat.  
  
"Just a few beginning of term announcements, then we  
  
can eat. For the new students, the Forbidden Forest is  
  
just that, forbidden. Mr. Filch has asked that I  
  
remind you that the list of forbidden items can be  
  
found in his office and it includes most of the new  
  
products from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, including but  
  
not limited to the Skiving Snackboxes. I would also  
  
like for you to welcome our newest staff member,  
  
Professor Belle Masters-Snape." He bowed slightly in  
  
her direction, and she smiled at the students. "So  
  
without further ado, Let the feast begin." The tables  
  
filled with food, and Professor Dumbledore sat down  
  
and began to fill his plate.   
  
"Are you coming up to the common room?" Harry asked,  
  
as they stood up and headed out of the great hall.  
  
"I have to go see my mum, she wants me to meet my dad  
  
before classes. I guess that I'll be up soon." He told  
  
them, looking up at the staff table and searching for  
  
his mother.  
  
"We'll wait in the common room until you come up, that  
  
way we can show you to your room." Ron told him,  
  
"You'll be sharing with Harry and I, but there are  
  
three others in there too."  
  
Stephen looked back at his new found friends, "I  
  
won't be long." He told them as he headed toward the  
  
staff table and his parents. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Snape and his wife?  
  
  
  
As the students started leaving the hall to go to  
  
their dormitories, Professor Snape turned toward the  
  
woman sitting next to him. His wife, he hadn't thought  
  
of her like that in a long time. When she had  
  
disappeared, he had assumed that Voldemort had taken  
  
her to insure his loyalty. He had turned back to the  
  
side of light and joined the Order of the Phoenix.  
  
Dumbledore had told him that he had sent her into  
  
hiding, but he had heard nothing for sixteen years.  
  
She turned toward him and smiled, how he loved that  
  
smile.  
  
"I cannot believe that he was sorted into Gryffindor."  
  
He stated, looking shocked and appalled.  
  
She smiled at him and reached for his hand, "Better  
  
Gryffindor than Hufflepuff. He could have been put  
  
into any house, but I think that he might have asked  
  
to be put into that house. He seems to have made some  
  
friends in Gryffindor on the train." She said,  
  
searching the crowd for his dark head.  
  
"He was sitting with Potter and his gang." He told  
  
her.  
  
She jerked her head around, "Harry Potter?" she asked,  
  
shocked.  
  
"Yes Belle, The Harry Potter. He and his friends seem  
  
to think that rules do not apply to them." He said, a  
  
sneer on his face.  
  
She looked at him, wondering why he didn't like the  
  
boy. "I'm sure that Stephen will be fine. He's a smart  
  
boy and I know that he won't just follow whatever the  
  
others are doing." She answered, seeing her son  
  
heading for the staff table, and the father that he  
  
had not met yet. As he approached the table, he  
  
reached up and pushed his hair back out of his eyes.  
  
When he looked at his father, he could see the  
  
resemblance. He had his father's hair and build, but  
  
he had his mother's eyes and nose. He wondered how his  
  
father was going to behave toward him, since his  
  
mother had told him that until today, he didn't even  
  
know of his existence.  
  
He walked up to the couple sitting at the table,  
  
"Hello father, it's nice to finally meet you. Mum has  
  
told me about you, but it's just not the same. I wish  
  
that we hadn't had to hide, and that you had been  
  
there for my whole life. But since that wasn't  
  
possible, Mum has a pensieve that she put all of her  
  
memories of me in, so that you would have them." He  
  
looked over at his mother, " I know that we would  
  
still be in hiding if the Death Eaters hadn't come to  
  
the house, they killed the house elves and destroyed  
  
everything. When we got home, all we could see was  
  
rubble and a green skull hanging over the house. Mum  
  
called it the dark mark."  
  
He told him.  
  
"It's very nice to meet the son I didn't know that I  
  
had. Your mother tells me that you are very smart. How  
  
did you end up in Gryffindor?" he asked.  
  
Stephen smiled, "I asked the sorting hat not to put me  
  
with that Malfoy git." He told his father, "On the  
  
train he was throwing around words like mudblood and  
  
mudblood lover, some of my best friends back home were  
  
muggle born. I will not be found around someone that  
  
has such a low opinion of muggle born witches and  
  
wizards. I judge people by what they do, not who their  
  
parents are." He reached over and kissed his mother on  
  
the cheek.  
  
"If you don't mind, I'm going to head up to the  
  
dormitory, Harry and Ron are waiting to show me to my  
  
room." He smiled at his father, "I'm sure that I will  
  
see you in class, Professor Snape." He shook his  
  
father's hand, turned and headed toward Gryffindor  
  
tower.  
  
"You have raised a boy with convictions, I just hope  
  
that he knows what he's doing, hanging about with  
  
people like Potter." He told her, watching his son  
  
leave the great hall.  
  
"Lily was one of my best friends, Severus. I was  
  
devastated when Albus told me what had happened to  
  
them. And even worse, that I could do nothing for  
  
Harry, and he had to go and live with those terrible  
  
muggles."  
  
She reached over and stroked his cheek, "If you don't  
  
mind, Severus, I'm going up to my quarters. I asked  
  
Albus to give me my own quarters until we see if you  
  
still want me to be your wife. I shall see you at  
  
breakfast tomorrow." She told him, as she walked down  
  
the center of the great hall. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Classes begin  
  
Stephen, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione walked down to  
  
the great hall for breakfast. As they were walking  
  
down the last few stairs, the front doors of the  
  
castle opened and a very large man walked in.  
  
"Hagrid!" four of them yelled, as they stampeded down  
  
the last few steps.  
  
"Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny. Who's your new friend?"  
  
he asked, looking down at Stephen.  
  
"Hello Hagrid." Said Hermione, smiling. "This is  
  
Stephen Snape. He's a transfer student from the U.S."  
  
Hagrid looked down at the boy.  
  
"Professor Snape is your dad?" he asked, "Your Mum  
  
wouldn't be Belle Masters would she?" he gave Stephen  
  
a big smile, "Your Mum's a great woman. One of the  
  
best witches I've ever met." He said, placing one of  
  
his large hands on the top of Stephen's head.  
  
"You five should go and get some breakfast, Professor  
  
McGonagall will be handing out the timetables soon."  
  
He told them, heading for the staff table. They took  
  
their seats at the Gryffindor table and filled their  
  
plates. Professor McGonagall walked behind them and  
  
handed them their timetables.  
  
"Double potions with the Slytherins first thing on  
  
Monday morning, why do we always have potions with the  
  
Slytherins?" Ron complained. They finished their  
  
breakfasts, and the four older students headed toward  
  
the dungeons and their potions class.  
  
"I'm just wondering why everyone hates potions so  
  
much." Stephen said to them, standing outside the  
  
dungeon classroom.   
  
  
  
Professor Snape stalked to the door and allowed them  
  
to enter, snapping the door closed behind them. "Today  
  
we will be making Thought Sharing potion. Work in  
  
pairs, you will be required to take the potion.  
  
Instructions are on the board, begin." He said to  
  
them, stalking to his desk and sitting down. Ron and  
  
Hermione paired off, so Harry and Stephen put a  
  
cauldron on the desk in front of them and began to  
  
work. Professor Snape started walking around the room  
  
and making comments on the potions brewing.  
  
"Longbottom, it's supposed to be blue, not orange. Did  
  
you forget to add the newt's liver?" Neville dropped  
  
the vial of shrivel figs.   
  
Harry and Stephen looked down at their cauldron, the  
  
potion bubbling in it was the lightest of blues. They  
  
held their breath as they dropped in the last  
  
ingredient. It turned a little darker and electric  
  
blue steam was billowing from it. The steam caught  
  
Professor Snape's attention, he came stalking toward  
  
them, his robes billowing out behind him.  
  
"The steam is supposed to be white, 20 points from  
  
Gryffindor, and you will both take this potion. Harry  
  
lifted the ladle and took a drink, when he finished,  
  
Stephen took it from him and did the same. Professor  
  
Snape stood there sneering at them.  
  
"Crabbe and Goyle's is sending black smoke all over  
  
the room, but he won't say anything about their  
  
potion." Harry thought.  
  
Stephen grabbed his arm, looking shocked. "Is my dad  
  
always this big of a git?" he thought, looking over at  
  
Harry who nodded his head.  
  
"Am I to assume that your potion worked?" he asked,  
  
looking at both boys.  
  
"Yes sir," Harry answered, trying to hold in a laugh.  
  
Snape gave them a dirty look and walked over toward  
  
Ron and Hermione. As soon as he walked away, Stephen  
  
laughed. Professor Snape turned around, "Another 20  
  
points from Gryffindor, and a detention for both of  
  
you tomorrow night." He walked to the front of the  
  
room, "Homework, 2 feet of parchment on the uses of  
  
newt's liver in potion making. Dismissed." He walked  
  
to his office and slammed the door behind him.  
  
As they were walking toward the Charms classroom,  
  
Stephen looked over at Harry. "I'm sorry for laughing  
  
and getting you a detention."  
  
Harry shook his head, "He would have found another  
  
reason to give me detention, he doesn't like me." He  
  
answered, thinking about what horrors were to come  
  
during his detention. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: A talk in the dungeons  
  
After classes, Stephen headed down to the dungeons. He  
  
needed to speak to his father, it wasn't fair that he  
  
had given Harry a detention for something that he did.  
  
He knocked on his father's office door.  
  
"Come in." he heard, he reached for the knob, opened  
  
the door and went into the office. Professor Snape was  
  
sitting behind his desk, looking through a potions  
  
book.  
  
"What can I do for you Stephen?" he asked, looking up  
  
from the book.  
  
Stephen cleared his throat, "I was wondering why you  
  
gave Harry a detention for something that I did?" he  
  
blurted out, as he sat down in the chair across from  
  
his father's desk.   
  
"When you laughed, I had no doubt in my mind that he  
  
had said something to make you laugh."  
  
Stephen locked eyes with his father. "I laughed  
  
because of something that I had said to him." He told  
  
him. "I asked him if you were always such a git. He  
  
didn't answer me, but I'm going to assume by the way  
  
everyone but the Slytherins act toward you, that you  
  
are." He said, standing up.  
  
"Sit down!" Snape said coldly. "I don't know how you  
  
behaved at your other school, but students at this  
  
school do not behave that way." He stood up and walked  
  
around his desk. "You will attend detention every  
  
night for the next week, do not think that just  
  
because you are my son, that I will be easy on you."   
  
Stephen stood up and faced his father. "Will you be  
  
taking Harry's detention off?" he asked, "I don't  
  
think that it would be fair for you to punish him, for  
  
something that he had nothing to do with."  
  
Professor Snape sneered at him, "You and Potter will  
  
report here for detention tomorrow night. You might  
  
want to stop protecting your 'friends'." He told him.  
  
Stephen turned and walked toward the door. "I'm sorry  
  
to hear that you don't care to set things straight.  
  
Harry did nothing to deserve the detention that you  
  
gave him, and I am going to Professor Dumbledore to  
  
let him know just how you treat the students that are  
  
not in your house." He opened the door, walked out of  
  
the office, and headed toward the headmaster's office.  
  
As he stood in front of the Gargoyle that protected  
  
the entrance to Dumbledore's office, he tried to  
  
collect his thoughts. He was appalled by the way his  
  
father treated the students that weren't in Slytherin,  
  
and wanted to do something about it. He heard  
  
footsteps, so he turned around and saw his father  
  
stalking up the hallway.  
  
"You got your wish, you will report to me for  
  
detention, not for one week, but for two weeks. Potter  
  
is excused from his detention, I will inform him  
  
myself. But mind you, I will not tolerate your  
  
behavior. I will attempt to treat all of you the same  
  
from now on."  
  
They walked to Gryffindor tower together, Professor  
  
Snape followed Stephen into the common room.  
  
"Mr. Potter, may I have a word with you." Professor  
  
Snape asked. Harry got up from his chair and walked  
  
over to the doorway. "You are excused from detention  
  
tomorrow night. My son has pointed out to me that I am  
  
an insufferable git, and that I should endeavor to  
  
treat each student exactly the same. I will attempt to  
  
do that, but in the meantime, you will not be punished  
  
for his behavior." Snape told him, eyes scanning the  
  
room. "I hope that you will not hold my behavior  
  
against me and try to do your best during my lessons."  
  
He said, then he turned and walked out of the portrait  
  
hole. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Oh the shock of it all!!  
  
As Professor Snape left the Gryffindor common room, Harry turned toward the four others sitting in front of the fire. "What happened?" he asked, looking toward the portrait of the fat lady. "He's never admitted that he was wrong before. And to let me off of detention, someone must have taken polyjuice potion. There is no way that was Snape," he said, throwing himself down onto the chair next to Ginny.  
  
"I threatened to go to Dumbledore, and let him know just how he treats the students that aren't in Slytherin," Stephen told them, opening his potions book and looking for Newt's liver. "I hate the way he treats people. He's nothing like my mum said that he was," he stated into the book.  
  
Harry and Ron looked over at him. "Did your mum tell you a lot about him?" they asked, reaching over and taking the book from his slack hands.  
  
Stephen sighed, "She told me that he was a wonderful man that risked everything to make sure that Voldemort didn't have the upper hand. I can't see how he's doing anything, except being a giant bloody prat," he said, taking the book back from Ron. Harry looked over at his new friend, trying to find words to help him.  
  
"He's not fair to everyone, but he is spying for Professor Dumbledore. He's risking his life so that our side has a chance. He doesn't like me because of my dad. He was cruel to him when they were in school together, I saw it in his pensieve last year. He was giving me Occlumency lessons, to help me to block out Voldemort," Harry told him, he looked up at the four people gathered around him. "Professor Snape may not be my favorite person, but he's a very important person in the war against Voldemort. And for that I respect him." He finished, looking into each of their eyes.  
  
Professor Snape sat in his quarters, he was wondering why she had come back. Why she had never contacted him, why she had kept his son from him. He thought back to when their relationship had begun, and it was all because of James Potter and Sirius Black.  
  
*****Flashback***** He was sitting by the lake, it was Saturday, no classes. He leaned down and picked up a rock and threw it into the lake, the splash covered the sound of someone sneaking up on him. "How are you doing Snivellus?" the voice of James Potter asked.  
  
"I'm doing just fine Potter, what do you want?" he asked, the sneer evident in his voice. He turned to face the boy standing behind him, only to find Potter and Black standing there. "And Black too, to what do I owe this..pleasure?" he asked, sarcasm dripping from his sneering voice.  
  
The two Marauders looked at each other and back at Severus Snape. "We just wanted to show you a spell that we found,." Sirius answered as he raised his wand. "rana procer" he said, pointing his wand at Severus. With a pop, he turned into a frog. The two friends began laughing. "I didn't think that it would work." (rana is Italian for frog, and procer is latin for prince)  
  
"What did you do to him?!!" Belle yelled, running over to the two boys and the small green frog that was sitting on the bench. "How dare you put a spell on him. Reverse it this instant," she yelled at them, pulling out her wand and aiming it at the two boys. Lily Evans Walked over to where her friends were standing.  
  
"Belle, we can't reverse it. There is no counter spell. It's the frog prince spell, we don't even know how to bring him back. We didn't think that it would work." James told her. "Honest, I didn't think that it would actually work, it's very old. I was sure that it was just a joke." he looked at her pleadingly. Belle reached down and picked the frog up off of the bench.  
  
"I'll take you with me to the library, Severus. We'll find the counter spell for this stupid stunt that James and Sirius pulled. I'll get you back to normal." She told him as she walked toward the castle.  
  
In the library, she searched for Madam Pince, wanting to ask where she would find a spell like that. "Madam Pince, I need to find a counter spell, it's for the frog prince spell," she told her, when she found the Librarian in the back of the library, re-shelving books. "There is no counter spell for that dear. The only way to bring the person back to normal, is for someone that loves the person to kiss the frog," she told her. Belle gathered her things, placed Severus in her robe pocket and headed for an empty classroom. "I hate for you to find this out like this, but I'm going to have to do this if you want to become a person again," she said as she sat him down on one of the desks. She placed her bag on the floor, and got down on her knees. "I think that I might be in love with you, " she said, and she leaned over and kissed the frog on the desk.  
  
.  
  
*****End Flashback***** 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Tea with the Professor and continuing the D.A.  
  
Professor Masters sat in her office, looking at the photographs that she had placed around the room. She was waiting for her son and his friends to join her for tea. Looking at her wedding picture, she was amazed at how young she and Severus looked. A tap on her door turned her attention. "Come in," she said, walking to her desk and sitting down.  
  
"Winky was wanting to know if the Professor is ready for tea?" the small house elf asked, keeping her eyes on the floor.  
  
Professor Masters smiled, walking over to where Winky stood. "I believe that my guests should be here any minute, so yes Winky, You can bring the tea." With a pop, the house elf disappeared and in a blink was back with a tray. When Professor Masters looked at the tray, she was shocked. There was tea, and six cups, cakes, cookies, and all sorts of treats. "Are you sure that you have the right tray, Winky?" she asked, wondering what they were going to do with all of the food that was on the tray.  
  
"Yes, Professor, Miss. You wanted tea for six, one teacher and five students. Is the Professor wanting more food, Winky can get some." She said, looking at the tray.  
  
"No, no, Winky, this is fine. I was just wondering if we would be able to eat it all." She looked at the tiny house elf, she was too thin, like she had not eaten in weeks. "Would you like something Winky?" gesturing toward the tray.  
  
Winky looked surprised, "Oh no Professor, Miss. Winky is eating in the kitchen with the other house elves." She answered, looking scared.  
  
"Well Winky, you are welcome to stay and have tea with us. I've heard that one of my guests is friends with one of the house elves, I think that his name is Dobby." She told her, leaning down to look into the small creature's eyes. "If you would like to join us, and don't want to do it alone, you could always go and fetch Dobby, and you could both have tea with us."  
  
Winky looked thoughtful, "I go and see if Dobby wants to have tea with the Professor." She told her quickly.  
  
"You might want to tell him that I'm having tea with Harry Potter. I'm sure that he'll want to join us then." With a pop, the house elf disappeared.  
  
Professor Masters laughed, heading for her desk. Before she got there, there was a knock on her door. "Come in," she said, and then sat down in her chair. The door opened and Steven walked in followed quickly by Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Harry. "Hello, why don't the five of you sit down, we're still waiting for two other guests." She told them. Just then, with a pop, Dobby and Winky appeared. They were carrying another tray, on it were more snacks, another pot of tea, and two more cups.  
  
"Harry Potter Sir, Dobby is so happy to see you." Dobby said, running toward Harry and wrapping his thin arms around Harry's legs.  
  
"Hello Dobby, how are you doing?" he asked, smiling at the little house elf attached to his legs.  
  
"Dobby is doing good Harry Potter sir. You is having tea with Professor Masters, she is a great witch, she invited Dobby and Winky to have tea with Harry Potter and his friends." He told Harry, looking over at the Professor.  
  
"Dobby, you and Winky are always welcome to come and have tea with me." She told them, waving her wand to make two elf sized chairs appear next to the other chairs. "I'll even leave these chairs in my office, you are welcome to come and visit me anytime."  
  
"How are you doing, Mum?" Steven asked, sitting down in one of the chairs that she had in front of her desk.  
  
"I'm doing good, please sit down everyone. I'll serve the tea, and we can eat and talk." She answered, picking up the teapot and pouring into the eight cups. Ginny was looking at the pictures hanging on the walls and on every available surface.  
  
"Harry," she called, "Is this your Mum?" Harry walked over to where Ginny was standing, and looked at the picture.  
  
"I think it is." He told her, he looked over at Professor Masters.  
  
"Yes Harry, it's your Mum." She told him. "She and I were best friends when we were in school together."  
  
"I was starting to wonder if my mum had any friends, besides my dad and his friends." He told her, sitting down in one of the chairs. Ginny came over and sat down in the chair next to him. Ron and Hermione had sat down on the other side of Steven.  
  
"Well, it's nice to have tea with such outstanding students. Three of you had the highest O.W.L.S. in Defense Against the Dark Arts last year, Miss. Weasley, you had the highest grade in your class last year, I was very impressed by the four of you. I have never seen things like you have done. I have heard, that you Harry, taught a Defense Against the Dark Arts class last year, and that it was quite successful for the members that were taking their O.W.L.S." she said, looking at him. "I would love for you to continue it this year. I would like for you to approach spells that you will not usually be taught. I will assist you as much as you need, and I will provide the meeting place and with the house elves help, refreshments for the students that attend." She said, looking at the five students in front of her. "I will be teaching N.E.W.T. level spells to the sixth years, and for everyone else, we will be working on at least a year ahead of where you would normally be."  
  
"I guess that I could continue the D.A." Harry said, looking at his friends. "But what do you mean by 'spells that will not usually be taught'" he asked.  
  
"I mean spells that Aurors know, that they are taught in Auror training. I will assist you and provide you with the materials that you need to learn and practice them." She told them, She picked up a plate of cakes and passed them around.  
  
"Dobby would be happy to help the Professor." Dobby volunteered.  
  
"Good, thank you Dobby. Now, let's eat." 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Beginnings and New Beginnings  
  
As the five students walked back to their common room, Professor Masters sent Winky off to Hogsmead She was having the house elf pick up a few things that she had ordered. She quickly waved her wand at the three pictures on her desk, and copies appeared. The people in the pictures were waving and smiling at her. A small smile appeared on her lips as she wrapped the framed copies and headed toward the Owlery.  
  
In the Gryffindor common room: As the girls went upstairs to get their books, the three boys sat down on the couch and stared into the fire. "Ron," Steven said, hesitating, "I don't mean to butt in or be nosy, but when are you going to tell Hermione that you like her?" he asked quickly, watching as the red haired boy's ears and face turned scarlet.  
  
"What in the bloody hell are you talking about?" Ron asked, looking from Steven to Harry. Harry had his face hidden in his hands and his shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter. "I wouldn't laugh if I were you, Harry." Ron told him, pulling his hands away from his face. "I saw the way you've been looking at Ginny since you came to the Burrow this summer." Ron told him. Harry's face paled and his jaw dropped open.  
  
Steven looked toward the girls stairs, "We should take this conversation to our room, the girls are coming." He said, standing up and heading for the stairs, the other two boys following close behind.  
  
In the Owlery:  
  
Professor Masters tied the package to a school owl, and headed back to her office. She had sent the pictures to Severus, to remind him of how much she loved him. As she walked through the halls, she remembered her days here, and all of the friends she had made. Few of them had survived the first war with Voldemort, one or two that had survived, were Death Eaters.  
  
Severus had been a Death Eater, pretended to be one still, to help Albus and the Order of the Phoenix. She had been a member of the Order, until Albus had sent her into hiding. She had kicked herself every day for listening to him, but in time, she had become afraid of returning. She knew that with everyday that passed, that it would be harder for Severus to accept her back into his life. She had come back, bringing his sixteen year old son with her. He had missed so much, and she could never give that back to him. She only hoped that he would forgive her.  
  
In the Gryffindor common room:  
  
"Where do you think they went?" Ginny asked, looking around the empty common room.  
  
"They're probably hiding. Mention homework and they disappear." Hermione answered, opening her charms book.  
  
"Hermione, why don't you kick Ron? I can't believe that he's still treating you like he treats Harry and Steven. He is such a prat." Ginny said, straightening her parchment and opening her potions book. "You would at least think that he would say something instead of staring at you."  
  
Hermione glanced up from her homework, her cheeks flushed pink. "Speaking of staring, Harry's been spending a lot of time with his eyes on you." She answered, bringing a blush to Ginny's cheeks.  
  
In the Dungeon:  
  
Severus Snape was sitting in his office, preparing the next day's lessons when the owl found him. He looked at the package and the small note attached to in and removed them from the owl's leg. He quickly scanned the note, set it aside and opened the wrapping.  
  
He took out the first picture, looking down at his wife and son. It had been taken when the boy was born. Belle was waving at him from the picture, and there were tears in her eyes. He placed the picture on his desk and reached for the second one.  
  
His wife was smiling serenely at him, her hands lying on her distended belly. He smiled slightly and lifted the third picture. He saw himself staring back at him, smiling, and his bride smiling up at him. They were dressed in their wedding robes, his arm wrapped possessively around her waist. He gently placed the pictures around his office, where he could see them form his desk, and left his office.  
  
In the Gryffindor 6th year boy's dorm:  
  
"Ron, we're talking about Hermione. It's obvious to everyone around you that you fancy her, why don't you just tell her." Harry told him, he opened his trunk and took out a bag of candy from Diagon Alley, and sat back down on his bed.  
  
Ron took a chocolate frog and opened it, "No Harry, we're talking about my sister, you know, the red haired girl that you can't take your eyes off of." Ron answered, stuffing the chocolate frog into his mouth and looking at the card.  
  
"We are talking about how neither of you will admit that you like them. I swear that I'm going to be sick if I have to sit there and watch the two of you staring." Steven told them, taking a few Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, and putting one in his mouth. "I am going to ask Susan Bones to come to Hogsmead with me." He looked at his friends, waiting for a reaction. "If you were smart, Ron, you would ask Hermione. And Harry, would ask Ginny." He stated, popping another bean in his mouth, and quickly spitting it out. "Earwax, gross."  
  
The three boys looked at each other and smiled. "Susan Bones huh? Well at least it isn't Millicent Bulstrode." Steven looked at the two boys sitting side by side and grinned.  
  
"Well, if neither of you do anything, I just might have to forget about Susan and ask Hermione and Ginny myself." He got up from the bed and walked toward the door.  
  
"Now wait just a second," Ron jumped up from the bed and stalked over to where Steven was standing. "I wouldn't mind if Harry asked Ginny, but I've known him for over five years, I'm not sure that I would want you to ask her." He looked over at Harry.  
  
Harry stared at Ron, "You wouldn't mind if I asked Ginny to Hogsmead?" he asked, looking shocked and pleased at the same time.  
  
"No Harry, You're my best mate, and the way I see it, the only person that I know is good enough for my sister." Ron answered, flopping back on the bed and reaching for another chocolate frog.  
  
"Let's make a deal, the three of us." Steven said, sitting down on the bed next to his friends. "I'll promise not to ask Hermione or Ginny, if the two of you go down to the common room, right now, and ask them to Hogsmead this weekend." He smiled and took the chocolate frog from Ron.  
  
"That's blackmail," Ron told him, snatching his treat back. "But I guess that I had better." He got up and headed for the door. He paused at the door, "What if she says no?" he asked.  
  
Stephen threw a chocolate frog at him, "Just go and ask, you too Harry." 


End file.
